Suburban report.

Senior Housing Plan Draws Fiery Debate

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS — The need for senior housing versus upholding the Arlington Heights comprehensive plan led to a four-hour debate at a recent Plan Commission meeting.

Commissioners ended up deferring action on a proposal by Sunrise Assisted Living for a two-story, 85-unit facility for seniors at the northeast corner of Arlington Heights Road and Council Trail.

The debate tentatively is scheduled to resume at the Plan Commission's Jan. 28 meeting.

The village's Planning and Community Development Committee already has come out against the plan, primarily because it is inconsistent with the village's comprehensive plan, which calls for offices on that site.

The project also failed to meet village standards by offering only 42 parking spaces, instead of one parking space per living unit.

"The property we are talking about has been vacant for as long as I've been living in the village, which is since 1976," said Michael Firsel, a representative of Sunrise and a former Arlington Heights plan commissioner.

Steve Lenet, a planner for Sunrise, said the facility would add to the area and not be a burden on taxpayers.

"It has no impact on the schools, it has no impact on the parks (and) its demand on village services is relatively low," Lenet said.

Most of the commissioners said they liked the idea of having the home for the elderly in Arlington Heights, but wanted to stick with the comprehensive plan

"The comprehensive plan is meant to be a guideline, but it's not a commandment," said Commissioner Mary Connoly. "I believe that we should look at this change in the use of the land in a realistic light."

Commissioner Stanley Eisenhammer, however, said he was afraid that residential use of the land would lead to residential development of surrounding parcels.

"It would mean that many other sites in Arlington Heights would be developed that way inappropriately," Eisenhammer said.